What 977 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NISSAN KIA OF MIDDLETOWN (4961 NY-17M, NEW HAMPTON, NY 10958) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

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MY HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT UNEXPECTEDLY SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A BLOWN BULB I FIND THE BULB IS FINE AND THE SOCKET OR HARNESS DOES NOT KEEP A GOOD CONNECTION. THE BULB WILL COME ON AND OFF WITH VIBRATION. I HAD THE WIRING AND/OR HARNESS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES.

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MY HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT UNEXPECTEDLY SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A BLOWN BULB I FIND THE BULB IS FINE AND THE SOCKET OR HARNESS DOES NOT KEEP A GOOD CONNECTION. THE BULB WILL COME ON AND OFF WITH VIBRATION. I HAD THE WIRING AND/OR HARNESS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES.

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MY HEADLAMPS HAVE GONE OUT UNEXPECTEDLY SEVERAL TIMES CAUSING A SAFETY ISSUE. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REPLACE WHAT I BELIEVED TO BE A BLOWN BULB I FIND THE BULB IS FINE AND THE SOCKET OR HARNESS DOES NOT KEEP A GOOD CONNECTION. THE BULB WILL COME ON AND OFF WITH VIBRATION. I HAD THE WIRING AND/OR HARNESS REPLACED MULTIPLE TIMES.

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VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. ONLY 52,000 MILES WHEN THE ABS LIGHT, TRACTION CONTROL, AND DOWNHILL ASSIST LIGHT CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. WON'T GO OFF AS MANY OTHER OWNERS HAVE ATTESTED TO IN FORUMS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. CAME ON WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THEN WENT OFF. CAME BACK ON THE NEXT DAY SEVERAL TIMES AND NOW IS STUCK ON.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. AFTER SWITCHING INTO THE PARK POSITION AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF, THE KEY BECAME STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE DRIVER WAS EVENTUALLY ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

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WHEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN-TOWN, THE VEHICLE LUNGES BACK AND DIES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD OR HIGHWAY. I HAVE ALMOST GOTTEN INTO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING. THEN AT A LIGHT, THIS VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND DIES AT THE INTERSECTION. THE CAR ALSO KNOCKS VERY LOUD AT FIRST STARTUP. I SEE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE REPORTING THIS ISSUE AND THE MANUFACTURER DOES NOT SEEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE TO HAVE. MY DISABLED DAUGHTER RIDES IN THE CAR WITH ME AND WE COULD HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS NOW AND THE LATEST WAS TODAY.

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WE ARE HAVING TO REPLACE LOW BEAM LIGHTS EVERY 2 TO 3 MONTHS WHICH ALSO LEAD TO THE PASSENGER SIDE LOW BEAM WIRING HARNESS TO BURN UP AND ALSO LED TO BURNING UP THE BRAKE LIGHTS , WE REPLACED THE BURNED WIRING HARNESS AND REPLACED LOW BEAM LIGHTS TO LED LIGHTS WITH FANS BUILT INTO THE LIGHTS AFTER 2 WEEKS REPLACING LED LIGHTS THEY ALSO BURNED OUT. KIA REALLY NEEDS TO LOOK AT THIS ISSUE AND STEP UP AND FIX AND REPLACE THIS SAFETY CONCERN.

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INITIAL ISSUE-VEHICLE WAS DRIVING PERFECTLY AND WE HAD JUST GOTTEN BACK FROM THE STORE. NO INDICATION OF ISSUES. WE WERE GOING TO GO SOMEWHERE AND NOTICED KEY FOB NOT WORKING. WE UNLOCK THE DOOR MANUALLY AND WHEN WE WENT TO START IT HORN STARTED GOING OFF AND CAR WOULD NOT START. WE READ INTO ISSUES AND WE DECIDED TO TAKE BATTERY IN TO GET CHECKED AND IT WAS FULL CHARGED. WE CLEANED BATTERY CABLES AND GOT CAR STARTED BUT THIS TIME RADIO NOT WORKING AND KEY FOB NOT WORKING. CAR DRIVING GOOD FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS AND COMING HOME LAST NIGHT, WHILE ON HIGHWAY, ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON -ON DASHBOARD, VEHICLE LOST POWER, IT SPUTTERED ALL THE WAY HOME. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WEAK AND IT WAS RAINING. POWER WINDOWS BARELY WORKS AND COULD NOT PUSH ON GAS! WE BARELY MADE IT BACK HOME AND PARKED VEHICLE BUT GEAR SHIFT WOULD ONLY GO UP TO NEUTRAL GEAR. WON'T LET US PUT INTO PARK AND CAR IS DEAD. VEHICLE IS JUST SITTING THERE NOW

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MY KIA SORENTO TURN OFF TWICE WHEN DRIVING AND IS NOT THE ALTERNATOR WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS DO YOU KNOW IF THERE ANY NEW RECALLS ?

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WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE HEADLIGHTS, BLINKERS AND BRAKE LIGHTS WAY TOO FREQUENTLY. THE 1ST TIME THE WIRING HARNESS WAS MELTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT (ELECTRICAL ISSUE/POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD). THE LIGHTS GO OUT DURING CITY AND WELL AS INTERSTATE DRIVING. SOMETIMES WE CAN ADJUST THE CONNECTOR AND THE LIGHTS WILL COME BACK ON. THIS WOULDN'T BE AS MUCH OF AN ISSUE IF IT WERE THE BULBS NEEDING REPLACING, BUT THIS IS FAULTY WIRING. WE HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKE LIGHTS 2-3 TIMES A YEAR. WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH TURNING LIGHT HARNESSES. KIA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND HAVE A RECALL ON THE HEADLIGHT, BLINKER AND BRAKE LIGHT WIRING. WE HAVE TO REPLACE BRAKE LIGHTS 2-3 TIMES A YEAR.

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MY 2013 KIA SORENTO HAS BEEN FREQUENTLY DECREASING POWER WHILE DRIVING. RPMS WOULD DROP TO 0. IN SOME CASES THE VEHICLE WOULD CONTINUE TO REMAIN AT THE CURRENT SPEED, BUT WITH THE RPM AT 0. IN OTHER CASES, THE VEHICLE WOULD RAPIDLY DECELERATE AND STALL OUT FORCING ME TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 20-30 TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND HAS OCCURRED WHILE IN TRAFFIC, PUTTING MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER AT GREAT RISK FOR AN ACCIDENT. THERE WERE 2 TIMES IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. IN SOME OF THESE CASES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS TURNED ON BUT NOT IN ALL INSTANCES. IT IS BEGINNING TO BECOME A MORE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE AND I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AT A TIME THERE IS A VEHICLE TOO CLOSE TO ME OR I AM NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER. WHEN I HAD A MECHANIC RUN THE ENGINE CODE HE SAID IT CAME UP A CRANK SENSOR ISSUE. HE INFORMED ME MY MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DECREASE IN SPEED ISSUE AND THAT IT COULD ALSO LEAD TO THE VEHICLES CATCHING FIRE. THIS IS A GREAT CONCERN FOR ME AS I HAVE A 5 YEAR OLD CHILD, AM AN EMT AND ALSO A CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN. WHEN I CONTACTED A LOCAL KIA DEALER, THEY PRETTY MUCH STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE THERE IS NOT A RECALL AT THIS TIME. I AM VERY CONCERNED AS KIAS ARE TYPICALLY FAMILY VEHICLES AND COUNTLESS LIVES OF CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS ARE BEING PUT AT RISK. HOPEFULLY FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED AND APPROPRIATE RECALLS ISSUED SO THAT THERE DOES NOT NEED TO BE ANY FURTHER DEATHS OR INJURIES. PLEASE KEEP ME POSTED AS TO THE OUTCOME OF THIS AND OTHER RELATED COMPLAINTS.

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LOW BEAM HEAD LIGHTS MELT TO THE WIRING, CAUSING TO TAKE TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR. CAR NOT STARTING, THEIR IS A SHORT SOMEWHERE. I KNOW 2 OWNERS OF THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND THE SAME ISSUE/

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE, AIR BAG, AND BATTERY WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT POWERED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE WHILE IN TRAFFIC AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BENSON KIA OF SPARTANBURG (LOCATED AT 1100 N PINE ST, SPARTANBURG, SC 29303, (864) 585-3611), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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THE CAR WILL STALL, UNEXPECTEDLY, DURING DRIVING AND THEN THE CAR'S COMPUTER ERASES THE CODE, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM.

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I BOUGHT MY 2013 KIA SERENTO IN NOVEMBER OF 2017. I HAD IT FOR 33 DAYS AND THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT. I CALLED KIA IN JOPLIN AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING UP THERE. ONCE I ARRIVED, AND I SET FOR OVER HALF THE DAY, THEY TELL ME THAT MY KIA IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WAS GOING TO COST ME $1000. AFTER HAVING IT REPLACED THE RADIO SHUTS OFF AND ON BY IT'S SELF AND NOW THE FLAT TIRE LIGHT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME. THE RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING AND TURNING. PLEASE HELP ME WITH THIS. I AM TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECALLS ON MY CAR.

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SEAT BEAT LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER REPAIR.

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HEADLIGHTS BURN OUT, REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES AND EVEN BURNS OUT SAME DAY, SOME PART OF HEADLIGHT, LIGHTBULB ATTACHMENT ALSO MELTED AND WAS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. BROUGHT CAR TO DIFFERENT MECHANICS REGARDING ISSUE AND ALL REPLY ITS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH MANY KIA SORENTOS, BUT WHEN YOU CALL KIA THEY SAY ITS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. ALSO, DRIVER HEATED SEAT STOPPED WORKING, MECHANICS UNABLE TO FIND ISSUE SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL SHORT, THEN SEAT WENT ON BY ITSELF AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN IT OFF, SEAT BECAME SEVERELY TOO HOT TO DRIVE CAR. LIGHTS BLEW OUT WHILE DRIVING, SOMETIMES WHILE CAR WAS JUST TURNED OFF, PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AND EVEN ONCE RIGHT AWAY AT THE MECHANICS. AND MOST RECENTLY, ISSUE WITH BATTERY. REPLACED BATTERY AFTER CAR WOULDNT START, STILL HAD ISSUES, REPLACED ALTERNATOR, STILL HAD PROBLEMS. REPLACED CONNECTORS. ITS RIDICULOUS. AND LIGHTS STILL GO OUT AND MELT.

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I'VE HAD ISSUES WITH MY HEADLIGHTS ON MY 2013 KIA SORENTO. TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP BACK IN JUNE OF 2018 AND WAS TOLD IT WOLD BE ABOUT $650 FOR A NEW HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY BECAUSE IT WASN'T COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WASNT APART OF KIA'S RECALL, THAT WAS FOR THE DRIVER HEADLIGHT. NOW I'M HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY PASSENGER HEADLIGHT. THE HEADLIGHT WIRES ARE MELTING CAUSING THE LOW BEAMS TO GO OUT. I HAVE TO BUY NEW HEADLIGHTS BULBS EVERY TWO WEEKS. I AM WORRIED THIS IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE EVENTUALLY. THE LIGHTS WILL GO ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES I HAVE ONLY MY DRIVER LIGHTS AND SOMETIMES I HAVE BOTH THEN IT JUST GOES OUT.LAST WEEK, OCTOBER 21- 27, I HAD DRIVEN TO WORK AND HAD ONLY ONE LIGHT. NO ONE COULD FIX IT. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME FROM MY JOB WITH MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS ON. AND I HAD ONLY ONE HEADLIGHT I WAS RAN OFF THE ROAD TWICE. THE LIGHT ISSUE, MELTING WIRES, IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.

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HEADLIGHTS WIRES ARE MELTING CAUSING THE LOW AND HIGH BEAMS TO MELT AS WELL. I HAVE TO BUY NEW WIRING HARNESS AND HEADLIGHTS EVERY TWO WEEKS. I AM WORRIED THIS IS GOING TO CATCH FIRE EVENTUALLY. THE LIGHTS WILL GO ON AND OFF. SOMETIMES I HAVE ONLY HIGH BEAMS, OR LOW BEAMS, SOMETIMES ONE OF EACH, BUT NEVER ALL WORKING, THEN THEY WILL JUST TURN OFF. THIS PAST WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 I HAD DRIVEN TO CHURCH AND HAD ONLY ONE LIGHT, AN HOUR LATER I WENT TO GET IN MY CAR AND I HAD NO LIGHTS AT ALL. NO ONE COULD FIX IT. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME FROM MY CHURCH WITH MY EMERGENCY LIGHTS FLASHING. I WAS RAN OFF THE ROAD NUMEROUS TIMES AND ALMOST RAMMED IN THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE. IT WAS MYSELF AND MY 10-YEAR-OLD SON IN THE VEHICLE. THE LIGHT ISSUE, MELTING WIRES, IS AN ONGOING ISSUE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING LOW SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER (DOUG SMITH KAY, 495 W MAIN ST, AMERICAN FORK, UT 84003, 801-692-4390) WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THEY RECOMMENDED THAT THE BATTERY BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NETS CAMPAIGN NUMBER: (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) OR MANUFACTURER SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SC-106, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

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WIRING/HARNESS FOR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT MELTED AND CAUSES THE HEADLIGHT TO FLICKER OR COMPLETELY SHUT OFF CAUSING A DANGEROUS VISIBILITY CONDITION. THIS CONDITION HAS HAPPENED ON THE VEHICLE PREVIOUSLY 2014/2015 AND WAS CORRECTED UNDER A WARRANTIES REPAIR AND IS DOCUMENTED IN THE VEHICLE HISTORY. THIS OCCURED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE AT DIFFERENT TIMES

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DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND CAR COUGHT FIRE. IF IT WASN'T FOR THE CAR NEXT TO US WHO SIGNALED TO PULL OVER WE WOULD HAVE BEEN TOAST.

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2013 KIA SORENTO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE FAILURE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE BOTH NOTIFIED BUT COULD NOT OFFER A SOLUTION.*JS

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SPONTANEOUS VEHICLE FIRE. TRAVELING ON US-27 IN FLORIDA, STOPPED AT RED LIGHT AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, PROCEEDED THROUGH THE LIGHT ONCE IT TURNED GREEN TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY WHEN SMOKE STARTED THROUGH THE VENTS AND FLAMES CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL. CAR BECAME DISABLED AND 3 OF US JUMPED OUT AND RAN DOWN THE ROAD, AWAY FROM THE CAR. THE ENTIRE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES IN A MATTER OF SECONDS FROM EXITING.

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